I. Field
The invention relates to head and neck support.
II. Background
The human neck has a natural Lordotic Curve, also known as the “C” curve. In order to maintain a healthy “C” curve, a person must keep the head centrally located over the body. This is often difficult to accomplish when resting, reading, watching television, traveling on an airplane or in a vehicle, and performing tasks that require continuously looking in a downward direction, or if a person has poor posture. The inevitable force of gravity pulls the head downward such that the neck experiences certain levels of inversion in any one of a plurality of directions with respect to the remainder of the spine. Head and/or neck support, such as when sleeping upright or reading, can reduce fatigue, relieve pain in the neck and shoulder region, and prevent stiffness and other neck-related complications.
Currently, there are numerous neck support items available for recreational and non-medical use. These neck pillows are often shaped like the letter “U” or a horseshoe and are simply placed around the user's neck with an open end in the front. The goal of these horseshoe shaped pillows is to offer orthopedic support and lessen pain in the neck and back while making it easier to fall asleep in an otherwise less accommodating setting.
The neck pillows can be used when sitting up. The user in a sitting and upright position slips the pillow around the neck which may prop up the user's head as the head tilts (under the force of gravity) during a sound sleep. However, the user's head is still subject to tilt forward and wobble around during a sound sleep when traveling.
The main goal of any kind of neck pillow is to provide support for the head and neck and to limit inversion of the neck with respect to the spine as the head falls under the force of gravity. However, neck pillows limit inversion only slightly and provide only a minimal level of comfort, as the neck will still tend to invert and wobble under the weight of the head, when the wearer is sleeping. Furthermore, the U-shaped profile does little by way of cradling or supporting the mental protuberance as the head rolls sideways under the force of gravity.